MA 9

MA 9 Information: Western terminus is at US 20 in Pittsfield, MA. The eastern terminus is at Charles Street in Boston.

History/Facts: MA 9's complete route did not exist since its inception, it was rather piecemeal until the 1950s. 9 was 109 through the Berkshires and most of the Valley, until it joined Route 20 in Brookfield. Old route 20 is now Modern 9, and continues from there into Worcester and Framingham when the Worcester Turnpike (not actually a toll road) was built. When reaching Boston, MA 9 had several parts listed with letters (like C9 and 9A), but all of these were eventually folded into Route 9 itself. Staples, the megaoffice store, is headquartered on Route 9.

Route 9 in Pittsfield has also undergone some routing changes in 2004. With the reconstruction of Merrill Road in Pittsfield, many sections of East Street and Merrill Road have been repaved, and are waiting to be re-signed as MA 9. MA 9W in Pittsfield used to run from Dalton Ave (from Dalton) to Tyler street, and eventually on to North Street, then changed over to First Street, while 9E went up First Street until it hit Tyler Street and followed Dalton Ave. This explains the 9E and W split in Pittsfield, and are now completely reuinted on Merrill Road. In any case, 9W would go to Park Square, where it would go on West Street to Center Street, and stay on Center Street for about a thousand feet before terminating at an intersection with US 20.

Route 9 will now be one road, following East Street to Merrill Road, where Merrill Road terminates at Dalton Ave at the current MA 8/9 junction. The route, in essence, is still the same, but it makes more sense. Dig?

Several old alignments exist in Windsor, as well. Most of the length of the old alignmets is open, as people live on them.

Photos: Eastbound / Westbound

Eastbound, The Berkshires/Pioneer Valley

This is where new 9 east leaves Park Square and travels on East Street.

Route 7 in Pittsfield is also an Enigma, but visit the Route 7 page to learn more about that. New route 9 (it's not really new if this signage has been around, which shows just how confused MAHighway was).

This is on East street, and one of the segments that was recently repaved (Thank god, too - it needed it). In the background, GE Building 100 covers the skyline. There would be more buildings, but many have been torn down as the remnants of The GE are taken away.

There used to be a lot more buildings here, as this used to be the nerve center of GE in Pittsfield. This area will be rebuilt into new industrial parks once all of the PCBs are cleaned up.

This is on the new Merrill Road in Pittsfield. Still no Route 9 signage, but it's coming.

This is the new Junction bridge that connects Merrill Road and East Street, it just opened in late 2004. Thank god, we've been waiting for it long enough.

Merrill road, coming in to Coltsville/Allendale sections of Pittsfield. This was recently repaved as well in its anticipation of becoming MA 9.

This is when Merril Road terminates at Dalton Ave (MA 8S). Route 9 and MA 8 are cosigned through Dalton.

Not quite - this is on Dalton Ave before Route 8 joins MA 9. It should say TO 8, not NORTH 8.

MA sometimes uses these "Next Signal" signs to tell of upcoming intersections. They don't use them enough, IMO.

MA 9/8 through downtown Dalton.

The MA 8/9 split. The MA 8A that follows MA 9 into Windsor is not the same MA 8A that's in North Adams. Also note the red "State Highway Parking Prohibited" sign.

Is it really six miles to US 20? I've never clocked it on my odometer. I guess it is when you take the old Dalton Ave/Tyler St/First St way, but the new Merril Road/East St. alignment may be a half mile or so shorter. Not like they're going to repost the entire highway, though. :)

The east Dalton maintenance area.

Nearing Windsor.

Welcome to Windsor and the climb up Windsor Mountain.

New-ish 9 and old-ish 8A.

8A splits here in the middle of Windsor.

The actual split.

A general road shot.

High tension wires. This is also a bypass of an old route 9 alignment.

A water tower or something on the mountain.

Not 143, to.

Advance warning for Windsor Jambs, with extra large spacing between words.

Turn left here for Windsor Jambs.

Looking from the road from Windsor Jambs.

19 miles.

The Old Creamery Grocery, notable for the cow. We used to stop here all the time when we brought my brother to UMass years and years ago.

Several reduced salt area signs. Sadly, I didn't get the oldest ones.

More guide signs. Notice that the big signs shove the 112 (and 116 earlier) into 2 digit sign width, while the smaller sign use a 3 digit width.

Old and decidedly non-standard. Look at those arrows.

112 on a three digit width sign that's rather old compared to the route 9 sign (Mass DPW fully spelled out and yellowed).

You don't see this much in MA... overtruss bridges with no top truss. Route 9 crosses the Westfield several times in a rather short area.

Again, that unstandard and old signs with the funky arrows.

This retaining fence holds these rocks up to the dirt. Obviously.

Oddball signage in Goshen. I've seen this sort of style crop up lately, notably at the US 20/MA 102 junction in Lee. I think it's either a new style that's being phased in or contractors being dumb.

Go to Chesterfield! Note the "BSA CAMP" guide sign. Chesterfield Scout Reservation is the Great Trails Council scout camp, and I went there for many years as a youth.

Now there's a large-ish sign.

If you're in Williamsburg, stop here some time. Great place.

Welcome to Northampton.

Nice flagrant violation of the MUTCD.

Now there's some oddball signs.

Not on route 9, but on the Bridge Rd. split through north NoHo. This is a great area for finding old/Mass DPW 91 signs that I have yet to photograph.

Nearing the Coolidge Bridge approach on Bridge Rd. Notice the lines on the state route shields in the signage.

Even more lines!

Northmapton.

More downtown Noho.

More downtown.

Whoopsie. This is as old as the one you can see in the Westbound section, except it will probably be taken down soon.

Intersection with US 5 as MA 10 leaves the short multiplex with MA 9.

On the Coolidge bridge, which was recently rehabilitated.

On the bridge.

A sign in Hadley that got clocked.

Old signage.

The short four lane section, which is being extended.

Older signage.

Even older, peeling signage, and one where a fastener went kaput.

I see these only in Hadley.

On the big strip in Hadley.

Route 116 guide.

At the Route 116 intersection where the small Route 116 freeway to UMass begins.

Lastly, but not least (so far), is a very, very old (75 years old to be precise) tercentenary information sign. The thing is, if you look in the distance of the photo, kyou can see the Welcome to Amherst sign. Yes, this is on the eastbound side of the road. Why not put it on the westbound side as you're entering Hadley, not as you're leaving it? Note the number and letter style - this is similar to those on bridges of the same vintage (and I would assume on stamped steel US/MA route shields too, but I haven't seen many of those).

Done? Head Westbound or Return home.

All photographs and original info ©2004/2005 Dan Vincent unless otherwise noted.